Australian Institute of Music and RG Dance Academy to be examined by Royal Commission

Starting next Wednesday March 2nd, The Australian Institute of Music will be subject to examination at a public hearing before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse in Sydney. The hearing is expected to last a week and a half.

Anyone with an interest should immediately get in touch with us, toll-free on 1800-091-889 to determine if you have a basis to be represented at the Royal Commission or relevant information to provide. Legal advice is entirely free for witnesses at the Royal Commission (paid in full by the Commonwealth Attorney General).

Anyone who believes they may be adversely referred to or otherwise have an interest in the case should make urgent inquiries.

According to the Royal Commission,the scope and purpose of the public hearing is to inquire into:

1. The experiences of children who received dance instruction at RG Dance Pty Ltd (RG Dance), in Chiswick, New South Wales.

2. The response of RG Dance and its members of staff to concerns raised or complaints made about the behaviour of Mr Grant Davies, dance instructor.

3. The experiences of former students of Australian Institute of Music (AIM) in Surry Hills, New South Wales between 2002 and 2011.

4. The response of AIM to allegations of child sexual abuse of students made against Professor Victor Makarov, a pianist.

5. The policies, practices and procedures of RG Dance and AIM in relation to raising and responding to concerns and complaints about child sexual abuse.

6. Any related matters.

Contact Kernaghan & Associates Lawyers

immediately for assistance, toll-free: 1800091889.

If you have received a request for a witness statement and/or a summons to give evidence at a public hearing you may need to complete an application for Leave to Appear.

Witnesses at a public hearing would normally apply for leave to appear if they wish to participate beyond giving evidence – for example, to cross examine other witnesses or to defend their reputation. It is important to understand that evidence that is not subject to challenge in the hearing may be accepted as “unchallenged” evidence.